


And When We Admit the Truth

by invisible_aliens



Series: Carry On Countdown 2018 [5]
Category: Carry On Series - Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, First Kiss, Getting Together, M/M, Minor Injuries, random appearance of a griffin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-29
Updated: 2018-11-29
Packaged: 2019-09-02 05:25:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16780489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/invisible_aliens/pseuds/invisible_aliens
Summary: The students of Watford are seeking a griffin in the Wavering Wood. Simon and Baz get stranded in a clearing together.Set during an unspecified time at Watford, during their later years. Canon divergence.Written for the Carry On Countdown 2018, Day 5: Mythology





	And When We Admit the Truth

**Author's Note:**

> I have to admit, mythology's not really my thing. I still had fun writing this, though!

**SIMON**

One day one of the third years says he saw a griffin in the woods, and the next the whole school was out traipsing around the Wavering Wood trying to find it.

Most of them were using every finding spell you can think of, and even trying to make up some of their own, but it's hard when you can barely make your wand work. The whole exercise just seemed ridiculous to me.

Penny agreed. “People can be so narrow-minded!” she said.

But she still had to prove she was better than the rest of them, and went off looking for it anyway. I didn't have enough enthusiasm to follow.

The other reluctant hunter is Agatha, which is really awkward considering we just broke up.

“I'm going back to my room,” she grumbles, and I'm left alone at the edge of the woods.

I quite like the woods, so I wander in anyway. I can't believe the Mage supported this. Usually he's all “Don't go into the woods, Simon.” (Like I'm Little Red Riding Hood.) And the few times he does approve of students entering the woods, he insists we stay in groups. (Although he’s never actually banned us from going in, he’ll just say something disapproving.)

But today, he just followed us all in without a second thought. (“He's greedy for knowledge,” said Baz. “He wants the glory. I bet if any of us find it, he'll take the credit for himself.There’s no point it trying to find it.”)

I wander through the woods, trying to avoid the other students. I'm not sure who I'd search with, anyway. I'd probably just annoy Penny, even if she wouldn't say anything. (When she's focused on something, she doesn't like to get interrupted.) Gareth stayed behind with Rhys, and I'm not exactly able to easily interact with Agatha at the moment.

Most students have headed towards where the griffin was first spotted. Penelope scoffed and said it would have moved, and came up with some complicated theory about where it would turn up next. (“Don't be ridiculous,” said Baz, “it's probably not even in the forest any more. If it was ever there at all.”)

I get tired after a while, and stop for a rest in a small clearing. I often come here to think, but it's different when I know the trees around me contain half the school. Usually, the woods feel like a refuge, somewhere I can go to get away from it all. I close my eyes, listening to the birds, and take in the ambience of the woods.

I hear a crack, and my eyes snap open as I look around.

It's Baz.

  


**BAZ**

This whole hunt is a ridiculous ploy of the Mage's. I wouldn't be surprised if he bribed the original student who spotted it as a distraction technique from whatever he's up to next. (Snow thinks I'm always plotting, but really, it's his precious Mage.)

But I stomp around the woods anyway, just in case. (And so the Mage doesn't realise I'm onto him.)

I walk into a small clearing, and see Snow sitting against a tree. He looks up at me, startled.

“Baz,” he growls.

“Snow,” I return with a smirk. “Any luck finding the griffin?”

“No,” he says with a growl. “But I haven't been looking for it. What are you doing here?”

“What do you think I'm doing here, idiot?”

He stands up. “Of all the people to run into, it had to be you.”

He comes over to face me.

“What are you plotting this time? Why don't you ever stop? Is it something to do with Agatha? Are you the reason she broke up with me?”

I snort. “She wouldn't need a reason to break up with you. You’re completely pathetic.”

It hurts me to say it. Why would anyone want to give up Simon Snow?

He shoves me, and I stumble backwards, my ankle twisting as I fall to the ground.

I hiss in pain as I land.

“What the fuck was that Snow?” I ask as I stand up, but my ankle hurts too much to put weight on it. I fall to the ground.

**SIMON**

I hate the way he always says the worst thing he can think of.

But making him injure his ankle so he can't walk back to the school? Not ideal. Now I have to leave him behind, or help him. I don't want to do either.

“You can't leave me here,” he's trying to sound angry, but he just sounds scared. I help him over to the tree and sit down beside him.

I hesitate. “I'm sorry. It's just… When you say things like that…”

“Shut up,” he says through clenched teeth.

We sit in silence for a few minutes.

“You're not going to leave me here, are you?” he asks, his voice quivering slightly.

“No,” I say firmly. I didn't know I was going to decide that until I said it. But I couldn't leave him here in good conscience.

“Thank you,” he says quietly.

He takes a deep breath. “I don't actually hate you, you know.”

“You're just saying that because you want me to stay.”

“No.”

It's getting dark, and no one's come past yet.

“They'll find us eventually,” I say.

“Yeah…” Baz says, straining his eyes as he looks around.

There's a loud thump from the trees in front of us. I grab Baz's hand.

“What was that?” I whisper.

There's another thump. I shuffle closer to Baz.

“Get your wand out,” I say, and summon my sword.

“I've already got it,” he hisses.

There's another thump, and then we see it.

The griffin has entered the clearing. The moonlight hits its wings, and it's eyes stare at us, unblinking as it walks towards us.

“I don't think it wants to hurt us,” Baz says, putting his wand away. I hesitantly put away my sword.

The griffin stops in front of us, and bends its legs.

“I think it wants to help,” Baz says. “It's going to give us a ride!”

I'm sceptical, but Baz is already struggling to stand. I help him stand up and climb onto the griffin's back.

“You coming?” he says.

I clamber up behind him, and put my arm around his waist, giving out a little squeak as the griffin takes off.

“It's okay,” Baz reassures me.

I open my eyes.

The wind is rushing against us, and below I can see Watford in the distance, although it's rapidly approaching.

The griffin lands outside Mummers House (I don't know how it knows where we live.) a little crowd has gathered, and they all cheer when we land. Baz is hurried off to get his ankle checked out before I can say anything.

  


**BAZ**

Simon's still up when I get back to our room.

“How's your ankle?” he asks. He actually seems concerned.

“It'll be alright,” I say. I can walk on it now, albeit with a limp.

“I'm sorry I pushed you,” he says. Crowley, I can't take this. First he shoves me over, but then he waits for me and holds my hand and puts his arms around me and waits up for me to check I'm okay.

I love him so fucking much.

“You don't hate me either, do you?” I ask, sitting down on my bed.

Snow sits down beside me. “No. You just… Rile me up sometimes. Do you have to say such horrible things to me?”

I shrug, looking down at my lap. “I guess it's just easier.”

“Than what?” he asks.

I look up at him.

“Than admitting how much I like you. We're meant to hate either other.”

“But we don't, do we?” he's grinning wildly and we're so close. I can feel his breath on my Cheeks.

“Not at all,” I breathe quietly.

He leans in, and kisses me. I kiss him back.

I was wrong. Finding the griffin was worth it.


End file.
